Certified B corporations: An approach to tensions of sustainable-driven hybrid business models in an emerging economy

Tabares, Sabrina

doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.128380

Cited by 18 publications

(33 citation statements)

References 31 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Data collection included semi-structured interviews with business founders and key informants, while abundant secondary sources were used for data triangulation. We interpret SD as a transformative concept to be achieved at the interception of the three dimensions of the TBL and provide empirical observations of four categories: considering future generations; enhancing human development; encouraging new mindsets, behaviours, and lifestyles; and promoting socio-political engagement [22]. The categories are explored to contextualise B Corps' approach to SD through their business models.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Unpacking B Corps’ Impact on Sustainable Development: An Analysis from Structuration Theory

et al. 2021

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

With Our Common Future and the United Nation’s global call to implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2030, public policies increasingly emphasise the need for various actors to contribute to a global transformation and a more sustainable future. Despite growing research on hybrid organisations and their contributions to sustainable development, their impact on accelerating this transition might be faulty. Looking at a type of hybrid organisation, Certified B Corporations (B Corps), this article draws on a multiple case study of nine B Corps in a developing country in Latin America, Colombia. The study builds on the Structuration Theory to examine to what extent and how B Corps impact sustainable development. The article empirically shows that B Corps focus on four categories of sustainable development: considering future generations; enhancing human development; encouraging new mindsets, behaviours, and lifestyles; and promoting socio-political engagement. The findings suggest that B Corps develop communicative and narrative discourses and symbolic schemas as means of signification and follow norms and moral rules to exert legitimation and utilise authoritative resources to exercise power. The article contributes to research on hybrid organisations, sustainability transitions, and business models.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Unpacking B Corps’ Impact on Sustainable Development: An Analysis from Structuration Theory

et al. 2021

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Their communication to stakeholders can be instrumental in developing benchmarks and stakeholder expectations that businesses should not focus on profits alone even during a crisis. Our findings highlight that corpora-tions have obligations to address all three pillars of the TBL creatively and in ways that create value, even when tensions exist between the dimensions [20,34].…”

Section: Theoretical Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 81%

“…Second, the TBL social media communication framework developed in this study is grounded in multiple real-world cases of B Corps which represent the AFA sector in the U.S. Our qualitative data and theoretical analysis fill a gap in the literature because there have been limited documentations on B Corps' sustainability models and communications [34]. We found that, collectively, social media communications of B Corps address interactions among the three dimensions of the TBL, but individually, each corporation has potential to further develop synergy among the three pillars of sustainability.…”

Section: Theoretical Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, companies can reduce such risks and gain positive public perceptions by including third-party endorsements or certifications or engaging independent organizations, activists, or influencers in their communications of sustainability [22,23,37,39]. In this regard, given that B Corp certification is granted to businesses that meet the highest standards of sustainable practices [3,34,39], certified B Corps have a competitive advantage to build a stronger community rooted in transparency. However, because many consumers are still not familiar with B Corp certification [39], B Corps should create more clear and engaging communications on social media to enhance the value of B Corp certification and strengthen organizational identity.…”

Section: Practical Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

B Corps’ Social Media Communications during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Through the Lens of the Triple Bottom Line

2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The COVID-19 pandemic and rising demand for transparency has heightened the importance of sustainability communications on social media to generate deeper stakeholder engagement. Although B Corporations (B Corps), businesses committed to the triple bottom line (TBL), could serve as a catalyst for sustainable development, little is known about how they communicate on social media during a crisis. Therefore, we examined social media communications of B Corps to (1) identify salient topics and themes, (2) analyze how these themes align with the TBL, and (3) evaluate social media performance against industry benchmarks. We focused on the apparel, footwear, and accessories (AFA) sectors in the U.S. and chose Twitter, a platform known for crisis communication. Using a qualitative method, we found four topics and 21 underlying themes. Topics related to social/environmental issues and COVID-19 were most dominant, followed by product/brand promotions. Further classification of specific themes and cases from a TBL perspective demonstrated that, overall, B Corps in the AFA sectors leveraged various approaches to promote balance between each TBL dimension. Lastly, although collectively B Corps exceeded some of the Twitter industry benchmarks, at an individual level, most brands had room for improvement to build a stronger community and promote synergy among the three pillars of the TBL.

show abstract

“…We also use the published materials on the topic of sustainable development and implementation of the SDGs in emerging economies of such researchers as Alam et al (2021, Hassani et al (2021), Sebestyén and Abonyi (2021), Tabares (2021), Tang et al (2021), and Ullah et al (2021).…”

Section: Theoretical Basis Literature Review and Gap Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

Dataset Modelling of the Financial Risk Management of Social Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies

Popkova

Sergi

2021

Risks

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The relevance of this study lies in the fact that financial risk is a serious obstacle to the development of social entrepreneurship, preventing the implementation of potential support for sustainable development goals in business. The purpose of this article is to clarify specific aspects of financing factors and financial risk related to social entrepreneurship in developing countries (in comparison with the standard financial risk related to commercial entrepreneurship) in order to analyze the influence of the financing factors of social entrepreneurship on sustainable development, as well as to determine the potential for the development of social entrepreneurship through financial risk management. To achieve this goal, this article uses the methodology of econometrics—dataset modelling of financial risk management in social entrepreneurship to achieve sustainable development in emerging economies. On the basis of the results of this study, firstly, it is substantiated that the financial risks entailed by social entrepreneurship differ from the standard financial risk present in commercial entrepreneurship. Specific factors of the financing of sustainable development in emerging economies are determined and, on the basis of this, financial risks specific to social entrepreneurship in emerging economies are identified as follows: (1) reduced stimulus to use financial resources in long-term investments, which disrupts the stability and decreases inclusion; (2) joint public–private investments and decreased investment in R&D; and (3) expanded investment in the skills required for jobs and “markets of tomorrow”. Secondly, a contradictory influence of financing factors on sustainable development is demonstrated. Thirdly, a large potential for the development of social entrepreneurship by means of financial risk management (maximum reduction) was identified. With the minimization of financial risk, social entrepreneurship would demonstrate substantial progress, with an increase of 99.61% (more than 50%) from 45.18 points to 90.18 points. A novel contribution of this paper to the extant literature consists of the specification of the essence and specifics of social entrepreneurship in emerging economies through the identification of financial risks and the provision of recommendations for their management.

show abstract

Certified B corporations: An approach to tensions of sustainable-driven hybrid business models in an emerging economy

Cited by 18 publications

References 31 publications

Unpacking B Corps’ Impact on Sustainable Development: An Analysis from Structuration Theory

Unpacking B Corps’ Impact on Sustainable Development: An Analysis from Structuration Theory

B Corps’ Social Media Communications during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Through the Lens of the Triple Bottom Line

Dataset Modelling of the Financial Risk Management of Social Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About